


come and go

by sundowns



Series: youtube!au [3]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Cohabitation, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, M/M, Pets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-25
Updated: 2017-08-25
Packaged: 2018-12-19 10:32:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11895870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sundowns/pseuds/sundowns
Summary: “Iwa-chan, what do you think of adopting a pet?”Something familiar rings in Hajime’s head. “What about it?”“I was just asking…” Tooru mumbles. “what you think of it.”(—or the side story to when/how Oikawa and Iwaizumi got their first child.)





	come and go

**Author's Note:**

> super delayed birthday fic. lowkey fluff without plot, what even.

Hajime worries of something.

It’s not really the kind that makes him spontaneously anxious, but the feeling is gradual, and it’s creeping up the back of his head like a disease no matter how much he pushes it away.

Tooru hasn't been outright normal the past few days. It's not the kind where there is a drastic change, but Hajime can notice the subtleness of his moods and the tiny shifts in his air. Anything faint and restrained that he disposes greatly disturbs Hajime alone.

However, the problem is, there is _nothing_ wrong. He's been eating normal, going to sleep the duration of his sleeping cycle more often than not, doing his daily routine alright, but something is just a little _off_. Hajime is so used to him being just _Tooru_ and not _this_ Tooru—he can’t quite explain how he discerns it—and it's quite odd noticing him a bit restful these days. He attempts on talking him out on whatever he needs getting off his system, but he just responds okay which vexes Hajime even more. Hajime tries not paying heed to it, even when he struggles convincing himself that it’s probably the irritating heat of the incoming weather, and although with his itching concern and curiosity.

It's when one night that Tooru crawls into the covers that Hajime steps up and breaks the boundaries of futile reassurance. He seeks on coaxing him out of his shell by crawling underneath the sheets with him.

“Hey.”

Tooru doesn't say a thing, but he welcomes Hajime’s intervention either way—he is ultimately meant to know somehow—so, he lets him break whatever he's been building up for days and crawls into his arms.

Hajime sighs into his hair, _finally_ , and pulls him close. He draws in whatever distress he's been dealing with, be it an exhausting day of training or just overall a shitty week.

“Tell me,” Hajime whispers, rubbing his thumb soothingly on his cheek.

“Iwa-chan,” Tooru starts, and the croak in his voice makes Hajime’s heart quiver. “You know that lady that collects laundry with her dog, right?”

Hajime frowns, perplexed upon the mention of something not quite up on his list of guesses. “Mm, what about it?”

“The dog,” he sniffs, he hasn't cried yet but it's starting, and Hajime can feel it so as the unease rapidly crawling up his chest. “He’s gone.”

He is instantly alarmed by this, anxious that his suspicion might be pinpoint correct, which is highly possible of happening, and swallows. “Huh? So suddenly? What happened?”

“ _Accident_. Car.” Hajime's heart falls and he feels like his breath is knocked out of his lungs. Tooru continues. “Aiko-san came by to deliver fresh laundry last Sunday and Hachiko wasn't with her so, I asked. She told me about it. She had left him off-leash and you know how he is.” Tooru’s voice hitches up and his talking comes even hastier with every word, like he's trying to catch his breath and keep it in to no successful attempt. Hajime pulls him nearer and kisses his forehead.

“Oh, baby,” he murmurs, trying to appease him by gently stroking his hair. “Sorry, you must be feeling bad.”

It’s the comfort that makes Tooru finally burst into tears, sounding and looking like the moment when he was 8 and had trampled his own ankle.

“I feel so bad.” He sniffles, snot and tears beginning to stain Iwaizumi’s uniform. “He was supposed to have his 5th birthday next week, and I was supposed to give him this new toy I found in the discount store.”

Hajime holds back a snort, and he is only able to because he’s mourning as well. He’s always known himself as someone not as inclined towards animals as others, but Tooru has such a soft spot reserved for such things and that’s more of a reason to sway him no matter what.

“Now, I can’t stop crying over this. He was such a good dog.”

“Shh. No one saw it coming.” He murmurs, trying to placate him somehow. “I know you haven’t been taking it lightly.”

Tooru huffs, sounding a bit frustrated. “I hate it when I easily cry.”

“It's okay to cry, alright? It means you have such a good heart enough to care.”

He nods quietly, face still upset and pout very prominent. “But it’s so sad.”

“I know, baby, I know. I’m certain Hachiko is just as upset as you are, but I’m pretty sure he’s in a better place now.” Tooru keenly looks at him. Hajime blinks, waving his free hand around. “ _You know_ , like, with the other animals,” he finishes lamely.

Tooru crosses his arms. “Yeah.”

Hajime kisses his cheek. “Have you had dinner?” he asks.

Tooru shakes his head, and then he looks up, eyes expectant. “Did you read my text?”

Hajime softens, pushes his matted bangs off his forehead, and nods. “I brought takeout. Should we eat?”

“Not now,” Tooru quickly objects and traps Hajime with his incredibly long arms. “I need some comfort.”

“How are you so demanding?” Hajime snorts, but gives in anyway and gives him a lingering kiss on the mouth just to push a little sadness away. It makes Tooru smile a bit and it’s more than enough than what the moment can allow. “What’s wrong with you? I even find you cute when you’re being clingy like this.”

Tooru reddens but grimaces his way through. “Why do you only spoil me when I’m sad? You’re so unfair, Iwa-chan.”

“Are you still sad?” Hajime asks, looking at him with a mischievous but distinctly soft gaze. Tooru smiles, reaches to pinch his cheeks, and stretches up to go for a kiss.

“I’m not sad when you’re there,” he says, voice quiet enough to be private and heard, and Hajime’s heart doubles in size. The smile on his face is of flatter and relief, but he still can’t manage to dissipate the hovering melancholy when he feels just as melancholic himself. “I love you, Hajime.”

There’s imminent surprise in Hajime’s eyes at the sudden romantic declaration. He knows they both say it at least once a day, and even if the tradition’s been going on for years, the skipping of his heart is just as the same as the first day.

“What’s with you?” He cups Tooru’s face, small in his rough palm, and kisses him tenderly. Tooru responds just as eager and Hajime smiles against his lips. _Just cute._

“I’m just scared of the D word, Iwa-chan.” He sighs. “Like you said, no one will know it coming.”

Hajime frowns, tilting his head. “ _D word_?”

“ _Death_ ,” Tooru says and Hajime realizes just as he speaks. He looks at him carefully and the worry in eyes is readable—emotions clear and devoid of frontage. “It can’t choose its victims, and Hachiko had been a good dog his entire life. I’m just scared of it happening to Iwa-chan because you’re very nice.”

 _Okay_ , so, the cause why Tooru is utterly emotional over the whole thing is also because he’s scared of losing Hajime because he’s, well, _very nice_.

Hajime stares at him dumbly— _what a way of using words—_ and then he bursts out laughing.

“Iwa-chan!” Tooru whines, smacking him with the blow of a punching glove. Iwaizumi wheezes. “You can’t just laugh at someone who’ll warrant you they’ll be at your funeral!”

“Who says I’ll die? If anything, I should be looking out for and worrying about _you_ because you’re always prone to burning kitchen. Is producing charcoal your other specialty?”

“That’s rude!” Tooru huffs, crossing his arms. “I’m an improved chef now.”

“And I’m proud of you not burning anything for months,” Hajime chuckles, pulls him tighter by the waist, and presses a playful, wet kiss to his ear. He can feel Tooru melting against him. “You’re being cute right now.”

Tooru makes the biggest shit-eating grin. “I’m _always_ cute. Good to know that Iwa-chan is aware. You don’t have the meager senses of a caveman after all.”

Hajime rolls his eyes and gets off him. “It’s late. We should eat dinner before both of us pass out.”

“Okay,” Tooru says, and no matter how lighthearted it sounds, it’s clearly evident he’s still upset over the death of an animal. And as Hajime ponders over for solutions, he feels a heavy weight on his back that makes his joints pop. “Make me happy and carry me to the kitchen, then!”

Hajime gladly takes the bait, no matter how his hips ache from a whole week of sitting in the review center, and hauls Tooru up. “You’re so high-maintenance.” In the contrary, he pecks his lips when he rests his chin on Hajime’s shoulder.

They run around the apartment like that and until Hajime’s back aches even more, just dumbly aimless on going around like toddlers released from their playpen. They almost get reported to the security by a neighbor downstairs for being too loud and apologize profusely, although done with hidden snickers behind their palms.

“Should we move houses when our lease ends?” Hajime asks him as he puts him back down the floor.

“No.” Tooru shakes his head. “I still like this place.”

Tooru eats like a pregnant woman once they take the food out. Hajime watches him with a disgusted and amused look on his face, trying to tell him to chew and swallow properly, but Tooru takes none of that shit and gets a whole bite on a poorly arranged cali maki.

“People may think I’ve been starving you for days.”

“I didn’t eat lunch,” Tooru says, and then instantly pauses once realizing what he just said, carefully looking up at Hajime who has a tic on his forehead. “Oops.”

Hajime sighs and picks a stray rice off Tooru’s cheek. Tooru grimaces when he pops it into his mouth. “I’ll have Ushijima keep tabs on you and kill you if I found out you’ve been skipping meals.”

Tooru looks like he just licked a shoe and proceeds on slurping his noodles. “Funny.”

Hajime chuckles. “Do you have anything to edit tonight?”

Tooru briefly looks up, and then nods. “Mm, yeah. I have.”

“I’ll do it,” Hajime says, the exhaustion under Tooru’s eyes making him have no second thoughts at all.

Tooru blinks. “But you’re tired from review.”

“So are you,” he counters. “You’ve been up late a whole week now. Get some sleep for the both of us, will you?”

Tooru is all thankful smiles, and he flushes red when he tells Hajime, “I love you, too.”

Hajime playfully kicks him under the table, trapping his ankle with his, his smile incessantly wiggling from his lips. “How’s practice?”

“Good. We might be going to China for a week of training.” It’s funny when he talks around a full mouth and yet he can still manage to look pouty and dismayed. “What a bad timing. I was planning on bringing you around this time.”

“Don’t sweat it,” Hajime says, looking down at his food. “It’s not long until I pass the licensure exam. We can go overseas together.”

Tooru smiles at this, and the furious blush on his cheeks is evidence that he’s just as delighted. “I’m gonna have a doctor soon. How cool is that?”

“Very cool,” Hajime responds sarcastically and gives his spare roll to him.

Tooru takes it to his mouth gladly and hums in delight. “How’s review, Iwa-chan?”

“It’s making me restless. It’s boring sitting all day long.” He shrugs. “But it’s doing well.”

“It’ll pay off. Just a few months to go and you’re academically done.”

The thought makes Hajime smile, and he remembers, just subconsciously, about _something_ when his pocket starts to tingle. “Where do you wanna go?”

“I’ve always wanted to go to Greece,” Tooru says bashfully. “But I doubt the tickets will be cheap though.”

“We’ll make a way. They’re just tickets,” Hajime convinces him although his bank account is probably aching at just the mention of it. _But yeah_ , he says in his head, _it’s just money, Hajime_.

“We should use our joint account on this one, Iwa-chan.”

“That’s for emergency purposes only. We can’t touch it unless we’ll spend on something important,” he says sternly, making Tooru grumble.

“You’re becoming more and more of a stingy housewife, aren’t you?” Hajime kicks him underneath the table once again—this time, much harder—and Tooru yelps loudly, almost dropping his chopsticks in the process. “I’ll report you for domestic violence!”

Hajime cackles, stands up from his seat to place his soiled dishes in the sink, and kisses his forehead. “We’ll discuss about this later, alright? I’ll try to look for promos.”

“If they’re expensive, don’t book alright?” There’s worry in Tooru’s voice and Hajime is irked. “We can always go to a different place.”

Hajime starts on the dishes and looks over his shoulder, clearly annoyed and frustrated. “Do you want to go to Greece or not?”

“Of course, I do!” Tooru shouts defensively, certain that the tone in Hajime’s voice is making him freak out and spill the noodles off his mouth. It’s kind of endearing but Hajime also feels bad. “It’s just, _you know_ , tickets to Europe are damn expensive, stupid Iwa-chan.”

“I know, that’s why I said we are going to look for promos, _stupid_ ,” Hajime taunts and throws a box of tissues to his lap. “You look like a toddler that doesn’t know how to feed himself.”

“And you look like a gorilla with a lame fashion!”

Hajime stares at him as if to say, _‘really?’,_ and Tooru sticks his tongue out. He charges at him and before Tooru can get off his seat and run for his life, Hajime catches his face with his palms and angrily smooches his lips, well aware of the food messed up around his mouth. It’s absolutely disgusting.

“ _Iwa-chan!_ ” he squeaks angrily, palm covering up half of his tomato red face.

“While you’re at it, do the dishes when you finish up. I’ll ask Mattsun to help us look up for some cheap flights.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

The season reaches in July and Hajime figures out there are two weeks left until Tooru’s birthday. He thinks of a significant gift, but nothing unique comes in his mind when the thing he’s always been preparing all along is still scheduled several months later.

He’s been on the internet for half an hour now when Tooru comes home drenched in sweat and a tired smile on his face. Despite having showered an hour ago, Hajime welcomes him in his arms and pulls him to their battered couch.

“Should I prepare a hot bath?”

“No, I’ll just shower,” he says, pulling away and sighing. Hajime kisses his chin. “It’s been a long day.”

“I’ll wait for you here. Wanna watch a movie?”

Tooru’s tired eyes instantly sparkle and he leans forward for an energy kiss, which is a proper one and on the lips. “You’re the best.”

While waiting for him to finish, Hajime pops an old scratched DVD, used and used several times and ready for the trash bin, into the player. He briefly scrolls through his Facebook newsfeed when he notices an ad for animal adoption. Curious, he clicks on the link and is greeted by photos of a variety of canines and felines. They range from different breeds although Hajime feels bad for having some of them caged up. Tooru comes out of the shower at that moment, so he closes his laptop and ushers him over to their beat up sofa, and snorts when his boyfriend instantly crawls into his arms for a cuddle.

“Miss you,” Tooru mumbles into Hajime’s armpit. It smells like lemon just as Tooru’s head smells like citrus. “I miss Iwa-chan.”

“We literally just saw each other this morning.”

“It’s strange when I don’t see you at training,” he huffs and presses a kiss to Hajime’s cheek. “Come back, Jack.”

“When I own the review, I’ll become that one fan who comes to your practices regularly,” Hajime drones, tone sardonic, and rolls his eyes. “You look so tired today. You should have texted me to fetch you up.”

“It’s no big deal. Coach wasn’t in the good mood so he basically took his frustration out on us.” Tooru frowns and the look only makes Hajime shower him with kisses. Now he looks like a spoiled domestic cat.

“Good work today.”

“You too, baby,” Tooru slurs with a smile. The movie literally forgotten, he properly sits up and rests his head on the crook of Hajime’s neck and shoulder. “Iwa-chan, what do you think of adopting a pet?”

Something familiar rings in Hajime’s head. “What about it?”

“I was just asking…” Tooru mumbles. “what you think of it.”

“Do you want to?”

Tooru grins, keenly looking up at him. Hajime briefly thinks of a puppy with a wagging tail. “Will you allow me to?”

“You can’t even feed yourself lunch. How much more an animal? What if you kill it?”

“Iwa-chan is such a spoilsport.” He pulls away from Hajime’s embrace and slumps on the couch with his arms crossed. Hajime takes the opportunity to lay his head on his lap and feels automatic fingers card his hair. “I want to have a pet, though. Maybe someone as jolly as Hachiko.”

“You still miss him?” Hajime asks, playfully pulling on his chin. Tooru’s lip juts down and it exposes his bottom teeth.

He only shrugs at the questions which only worries Hajime.

He sighs and flips Tooru’s shirt so he can shove his head into it, and as Tooru jumps at the contact, Hajime starts blowing raspberries into his stomach.

“No, Iwa-chan!” He yelps, trying to push Hajime’s head off to no attempt. “I’m gonna die! Please, _no_!”

Hajime pulls away this time before he really dies from air deprivation and turns to look at Tooru who currently has the healthiest blush on his cheeks. Hajime reaches up to kiss them and again, wrestles him into the sofa.

“If you wanna have a wild sexy time, just say so, Hajime.” He wiggles his eyebrows playfully earning a smack from him.

Hajime cocks an eyebrow. “How about wild cuddly time, then?”

“My boyfriend is so smooth,” Tooru remarks, impressed. “So, what do you think about animal adoption, Iwa-chan?”

Hajime doesn’t have to consider it a long minute, because he finally has the perfect gift in his mind, and grins at him. “I think it’s a great idea.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

So, two weeks later, Hajime is on the way home with a box of cake and a crate on shotgun.

A smile wriggles its way into his face when he hears the tiny mewls coming from inside. He had secretly visited the pet orphanage a week ago and he visits this time again to get Tooru a gray Persian cat. He did keep tabs on the little one upon seeing it the first time, because Hajime does somehow believe in love at first sight, but maybe in his situation it will be applied as _secondhand love at first sight_ in hopes that Tooru will adore the surprise the moment he will see it.

The cat just got two years old barely a month ago, but Hajime thinks she’s the _laziest_ of the bunch despite the age—barely responsive, very snobbish, and _super grumpy_. Hajime just realizes that he'd gotten Tooru the _complete_ opposite of what he'd initially described as his ultimate pet and pales in the car seat. It would be bad of him if he returned the little folk so he only wishes that Tooru won’t secretly throw her away the next day.

“I’m home.”

Tooru looks up from the television and perks up the moment he sees him. “Welcome home, Iwa-chan!”

“Turn around,” Hajime says upon taking his shoes off. “I have a present for you.”

“Seriously? I thought we’re only having dinner!” There’s clear delight and anticipation in Tooru’s face, and just seeing that makes Hajime’s insides gurgle from both excitement and nervousness. Tooru loves surprises, but Hajime himself can’t guarantee that he will like every one of them.

“Yeah, don’t move, okay?” he huffs, and as Tooru turns on his heels to face away, Hajime quietly opens the crate, carefully takes the cat out from there, and cautiously traipses closer. He’s glad she’s behaved and obedient in his arms, or else any noise she will make will totally spoil the surprise.

“Iwa-chan, you’re making me nervous.”

“Just shut up and wait.”

“It’s my birthday and you’re being this rude to me."

“Okay,” Hajime breathes, preparing himself. He just prays all will come out well. “You can turn around now.”

And as Tooru does, the initial reaction Hajime gets is a genuinely surprised gasp, and then he’s taking the cat from Hajime’s hold and into his own. “It’s so cute!”

Hajime sighs in relief. At least he isn’t mad or anything. “Do you like her?”

The moment he asks it, Tooru yelps. The cat has scratched his wrist and Hajime’s blood drains from his face.

 _Oh shit_ , Hajime takes his sigh back. Perhaps he will take the cat back, too.

But Tooru doesn’t throw her away or carelessly drop her on the floor and yell at Hajime for bringing him a little monster, instead, he beams up at him and says, “I love her. Thank you, Iwa-chan.”

Hajime smiles, the sigh of relief he makes this time real and absolute. He gently grasps the back of Tooru’s neck to pull him into a sweet kiss and whispers, “Happy birthday, Tooru.”

Tooru gently puts the cat down. She meows loudly and takes a languid walk around Hajime’s feet before settling by his ankle. It makes Tooru laugh—such little thing making him so amused is mere joy to Hajime alone. He circles his arms around his waist when Tooru hugs him, and softly kisses his temple.

“You make me so happy.”

“You make me happy, too,” Hajime responds, just truly genuine and yet somehow frustrated by how words always seem to be so inadequate.

Hajime realizes, maybe sometimes he doesn’t need them, doesn’t have to prove his feelings when Tooru is continuously pressing kisses to his mouth. He feels so full, dinner won’t have to be an option for tonight.

“I brought dinner,” he says in between kisses. “Sorry I wasn’t able to cook for you.”

“I don’t care if we eat garbage on my birthday or anything!” Tooru says enthusiastically as if eating garbage is their thing. “As long as you are here and we have cake then, I’m all O.K.” He makes an O.K. sign at that, as well. “You brought cake, right?”

“Of course.”

Suddenly, there's a dragging _meow_ from below, like a demand for attention. Tooru quickly goes and picks her up and it makes a rather annoyed meow this time. “What’s up Miku-chan? Are you hungry?”

Iwaizumi frowns. “Miku…chan?”

“Yeah!” Tooru bounces Miku in his arms. She barely makes a face and looks at the air with such dead eyes. “She reminds me of the cat in that drama I watch.”

“Okay…” _Yeah_ , of course Hajime remembers it when Tooru always forcibly drags him to watch that particular drama with him on weekend nights. Hajime blinks a few times before he remembers something. “Oh, they got her vaccinated, too.”

“That’s good. Now we don’t have to worry about Miku-chan being sick.” The cat meows and Tooru laughs, softly ruffling her head. “She’s so cute, Iwa-chan!”

 _You, too_ , Hajime doesn’t say and the deliberation over his words results him into dumbly staring at Tooru.

“What?” Tooru asks innocently, and he just looks so genuinely happy like this, Hajime prays it’ll never have to change. “Don’t you think she looks just like you, Iwa-chan?”

“So, you do have a thing on grumpy kinds, don’t you?” Hajime retorts.

“Ah! So, you do admit that you’re a grumpy old man, then.” Tooru backfires and Hajime bristles. “Iwa-chan, was this intentional?”

“I’ll kill you.”

“I just had my birthday, you can’t kill me!” He yells, ducks in by reflex before he takes the blow, and plops on the couch. The cat settles quietly on his lap, her head on Tooru’s thighs, and Hajime is lowkey jealous. “Come here, Iwa-chan! You can’t miss our first family bonding.”

Hajime obeys and Tooru hogs him all to himself once he sits next to him, his deadly long arms everywhere. Hajime drapes an arm around his shoulders in return and pulls him closer, the cake and dinner literally forgotten, as they bask together in comfortable stillness. It’s hard to think that this is a special day when it has always been like _this_ ever since. Hajime feels by some means _incompetent_ that he can’t make special occasions any more unique because every day with Tooru is always extraordinary that he doesn't know how to transcend such things.

They go on like that, all quiet and thinking, until Hajime hears sniffling from under his chin. He glances down, sees his boyfriend rubbing on his eyes, and freaks out.

“What the hell is wrong with you?”

“You always make me cry!” Tooru yells in defense. It startles Miku awake— _she had been sleeping all along?_ —so she moves to the side where she’s now at the opposite end of the couch. “Even when you’re not mean, you make me cry. It’s annoying.”

Hajime seethes but nonetheless pulls him up and wipes his stray tears with his thumb. _He sure cries ugly_. “Well, shouldn’t I be nice to you since it’s your birthday? Stop it, you look unflattering right now.”

“That’s funny when you’re uglier than me even when you’re not doing anything,” Tooru taunts, mocking him with a funny face.

“I love you,” Hajime says, smile easy, and then kisses him. It makes Tooru grumpier, which means he’s being stubborn. Hajime tries again, this time pulling whatever skin on Tooru’s face—be it his eyelids, his nose, his chin or cheeks—it makes him look funnier but still so, _so_ handsome. “Ugly.”

“You’re uglier, ugly,” Tooru snaps, pulling on the bottom of Hajime’s left eye. “Love you.”

On the side, Miku lets out another loud, dragging meow, basically informing his new owners that she’s annoyed, and gets off the couch. They both watch her disappear into the guest room.

“First night and she wants to get out of this house already,” Hajime remarks, amused.

“Or you could say,” Tooru starts and Hajime squints at him warily. “she literally meowed the fuck out.”

Hajime smacks his head.

**Author's Note:**

> hmu @ [sund0wns](https://sund0wns.tumblr.com/) on tumblr!


End file.
